Recycling Lesson
Created By Grades Subjects Duration
Mallory Swafford K, 1st, 2nd Science ≅ 60 minutes
Lesson Overview
● What does reduce, reuse, recycle mean?
Essential
● How do we sort recyclables?
Questions
● How can we reduce, reuse, recycle in our daily lives?
Students will be able to:
Learning
● Explain how we can reduce, reuse, recycle in our daily lives.
Outcomes
● Sort recyclables into their correct categories.
This lesson introduces the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle and has students create a classroom waste
management plan.
Inquire: Students are introduced to the idea of reduce, reuse, recycle through an engaging video
Summary
and cut and match sorting activity.
Investigate: Students practice RRR by sorting recyclables in The Great Reuse Reduce Recycle Relay!
Inspire: Students make a classroom waste management plan using the information they have
gained throughout the lesson.
Instructions
● Students begin by watching this video.
Inquire
● Teacher then guides students through the Cut and Match Worksheet and discusses which
≅ 20 minutes
type of recycling each item is sorted into. Cut and Match Answer Sheet is included.
● Students participate in The Great Recycling Relay! Teacher may prepare by having the
following items:
○ Plastics, papers, glass (heavy duty or substitute item for safety), vegetables/fruits
(several kinds), candy wrappers, 3 bins (one labeled RECYCLING, one COMPOST,
and one GARBAGE), and one bin full of materials at the start of the relay.
○ Alternatively the teacher may print out Game Materials to use in place of the actual
items above. To keep in theme with the lesson, these images should be either
laminated for repeated use or recycled when activity is completed.
Investigate
● Directions for The Great Recycling Relay:
≅ 15 minutes
○ Students are broken into relay teams and have a bin with their materials in it. The
first student grabs an item and runs to the end of the relay, sorting the item into the
correct container (recycling, compost, or garbage).
○ Teacher will be standing at the containers during this time to check sorting. The
student then runs back and tags the hand of the second student who completes the
route.
○ The first team completely finished with all their materials sorted correctly wins The
Great Recycling Relay!
● The class engages in a whole group discussion to come up with a classroom waste
management plan.
● Teacher asks questions such as:
○ Where do we see a lot of waste in our classroom?
○ How can we reduce our waste?
○ Is there anything we could recycle that we currently are not recycling?
○ Is there anything we could reuse that we currently are not reusing?
○ Is there anything we could reduce?
● Students work in small groups or as a whole class to create a classroom waste management
Inspire
plan.
≅ 25 minutes
○ Teacher can input ideas on Teacher Slideshow or directly on anchor chart paper.
The plan should be posted somewhere easily visible as a reminder to students. It
may include jobs for students, end of day clean up and sorting procedures, etc.
○ Option for teacher to engage in a guided search online to help students come up
with classroom waste management ideas. Using a projector or a smart board, the
teacher may allow students to guide the search and help them determine which
information is valuable to them.
○ An example classroom waste management plan is included in the Teacher
Slideshow.
Accompanying Materials
Teacher Slideshow Student Document Game Materials
Teaching Tips
● Students participate in a hands-on and physically active learning activity.
Positives ● Students collaborate and develop long-term plans together.
● Students get a sense of ownership from developing a classroom waste management plan.
● Teacher needs to either:
○ Bring in materials to sort for The Great Reduce Reuse Recycle Relay.
Prerequisites ○ Print the alternate materials in advance.
● Some sort of large poster needs to be available to hang in an easily viewed space for
students to have easy access to the classroom waste management plan.
● Students could work in groups to complete the cut and sort in the Investigate stage if time is
limited.
Differentiation ● Students with physical limitations may do The Great Reduce Reuse Recycle Relay at their
desk with the alternate materials or be the “bin monitor” to help ensure each relay team is
sorting their materials correctly.
Learning Standards
Primary Standards
Science
K-2-ETS1-1 Ask questions, make observations, and gather information about a situation people want to change (e.g.,
climate change) to define a simple problem that can be solved through the development of a new or improved object or
tool.
Supporting Standards
Social Studies
[Link].1 With adult guidance and support, bring awareness of a local issue to school and/or community
members and make recommendations for change.
Career Readiness, Life Literacies, and Key Skills
[Link].1 Gather information about an issue, such as climate change, and collaboratively brainstorm ways to solve the
problem.
